Crime Prevention Theories

If you have an example of a useful Crime Prevention Theory please email it to contact@futureofpolicing.com. Please include the Title of the theory, the theory's Author, how to fine the theory (book or article), and a description as to why the theory is important to policing.

For a Crime Prevention Theory to be really great it must be applicable to the real world. What would be great is some real world applications of Crime Prevention Theories.

I have heard some of the arguements about why different Crime Prevention Theories do not work:

Broken Windows (Zero Tolerance and Order Maintenance)

Legal problems

Civil rights violations

Violent police

Problem Solving and Problem Oriented Policing

Difficult to master

Time consuming

Soft on crime

Too busy because of being incident driven

Community Oriented Policing

Soft on crime

Not clearly defined

Expensive programs

Ineffective programs

I would like to hear from someone where these programs have been very successful. Success is not having a community policing unit, foot patrol, neighborhood watch, DARE and other like programs.

Success comes when the operation of the Police Department is led by these crime prevention theories. For myself "Turnaround" and "Crime Fighter" are two books that illustrate what can be done if Police Departments operate or establish a game plan guided by these crime theories.